The Procurator General is one of the three Major
Officials of the Order elected by the Definitory General (cfr. Const.
n° 189).

The Procurator General acts as liaison between the Order
and the Apostolic See, and exercises this function under the direction of
the Superior General or the Definitory, as the case may require. (Const.
n° 190).

As he is the Legal Representantive of the Order to the
Vatican and has to go very often to the Secretariat of the State and to
the different Roman Congregations of the Holy See, in order to submit the
multiple diversity of major issues of our friars and nuns that need the
intervention of the Apostolic See, he offers below some guidelines for the
most common cases, so that the submission and the resolution of these may
be successful.

Consultations can be made with the Procurator for all the
juridical cases, regardless of the nature, and the praxis to follow:

--concerning the cases of dispensation from the obligations
of the Ordination and of the Votes, including the dismissal of the
clerical status for the priests under 40 years old;

--concerning the priests in danger of death;

--concening the petitions of dispensations from the
impediment to marry for the second time in regard of the widowed permanent
Diacons.

DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE
INSTRUCTION OF A CASE FOR DISPENSATION
FROM THE OBLIGATIONS OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION

1. The letter of the priest addressed to the Holy Father
in a spirit of penitence and humility, summarizing the principal reasons
that have led him to leave the priesthood and any others for which he
considers it impossible to return to the sacred ministry.

The request is to be addressed to the Holy Father and
personally signed by the Petitioner. It should be a clearly stated
petition for a dispensation from celibacy and reduction to the lay state.
This letter is to be submitted to the Ordinary together with a 'Curriculum
Vitae'.

2. A 'Curriculum Vitae' of the Petitioner that serves as the 'libellus'
whereby the case is introduced and in which is contained a detailed
description of the reasons for the defection, and, if pertinent, why the
situation is irreversible. Also included should be signficant dates, i.e.,
of birth, progress in the steps of formation and ordination, and the years
and places where ministry was carried out.

3. A statement of every pastoral attempt made by the
Ordinary of the Diocese or Religious Superiors to dissuade the Petitioner
from making the request, along with all the measures taken to assist him
in overcoming the crisis and taking up the ministry again.

4. A document that demonstrates that the Petitioner has
been suspended from the exercise of the sacred ministry, once the Ordinary
has reviewed the 'Curriculum' and decided to accept the formal request of
the Petitioner for a dispensation - thereby avoiding all possible scandal
and protecting his reputation.

5. A Decree nominating the Instructor of
the case and an ecclesiastical Notary, including the explicit statement of
the obligation to proceed according to the 'Substantial and Procedural
Norms' promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(A.A.S. 14 October 1980, pp. 1132-1137).

6. The Interrogation of the Petitioner under oath, by the Instructor in
the presence of the Notary, with prepared and pertinent questions
concerning, above all, the time of formation prior to Ordination, with a
deeper inquiry into the reasons given by the Petitioner in the 'Curriculum'
for the crisis, the defection, and the irreversibility of his choice.

7. The Interrogations or depositions of witnesses, either those indicated
by the Petitioner or chosen by the Instructor: i.e., parents and relatives
of the Petitioner, Superiors and companions from the time of formation,
present Superiors and priest confreres.

8. Any testimony that might be obtained from physicians, psychologists,
psychiatrics who were visited during the time of formation or later.

9. A copy of the 'Scrutinia' (i.e. all documents specified in Canon 1051)
of those responsible for the admission to Holy Orders as well as other
documents from the archives of the house of formation.

10. The personal Vote of the Instructor about the merit of the case as a
whole, explaining whether it is recommended or it is deemed unadvisable
that a dispensation be granted and why this is the case. To be taken into
consideration are: not only the reasons set forth in the Instruction, as
well as the personal well being of the Petitioner, but also the universal
good of the Church, of the Diocese or Religious Institute as a whole, and
of the souls formerly entrusted to the ministry of the Petitioner.

11. The personal Vote of the Bishop or the Religious Superior who arranged
that the case be instructed - to be formulated upon the merit of the case-
as presented in the Acts prepared by the Instructor, stating whether or
not it is deemed opportune to grant the dispensation. An explicit
statement must be included regarding the assurance that no scandal will be
taken if the dispensation is given.

12. A personal Vote from the Bishop of the place where the Petitioner now
lives regarding the assurance that no scandal will be taken if the
dispensation is given.

13. An official copy of certificates of attempted civil marriage or
declarations of nullity of Matrimony, or civil divorce for the Petitioner
and the woman.

N.B. THREE COPIESof the Acts of the
case, should be sent to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments. They are to be bound together in an orderly
manner, with all the pages numbered in sequence and authenticated by the
Notary. Please see to it that, for the legibility of the entire
documentation, photocopies are well made and pages which have been
handwritten in an illegible way are accompanied by a typewritten
transcription.

If the Petitioner is under forty years of age, the copies of the Acts
should be sent to this Congregation.

PRAXIS FOR THE PETITIONS TO THE HOLY SEE AND TO THE ORDER

It is important that the petitions of the monasteries to
the Holy See and to the Order are submited correctly. This accelerates the
procedure of the case. That is why we indicate here the "praxis"
or the way to submit the petitions to the Holy See and to the Order,
depending on the cases.

I.- IN GENERAL

1. The petitions are to be addressed to the Holy Father
using the formula "Most Holy Father"; they must be typewritten
and personnally signed by the "oratrix" (the petitioner or the
person who submits the petition).

2. Always indicate :

a) Religious name and surname.

b) Civil name and surname.

c) City and Diocesis of the Monastery.

d) Number of the Protocol and Dates of other Rescripts
which have been given to the same persons before (even those given several
years ago).

3. Send two copies of the petitions to Rome,
written on whole folios (22 x 28 cm) and leaving enough space at the end
of these for the "preces commendatoriae"
of the Procurator General of the Order.

4. We leave at the Communities' will the expenses of
Secretariat, which may be added to the taxes of the Rescript.

5. The petitions can be sent through the Secretariat PRO
MONIALIBUS, including the monasteries which are under the juridiction of
the Ordinary of the Place. The Secretariat will submit them to the Fr.
General and then to the Holy See so that the procedure may be as fast as
possible.

6. The petitions must be "recommended" by
the Prioress and by the Bishop (or the Provincial in the monasteries which
are under the jurisdiction of the Order).

II.-- IN PARTICULAR

1. Definitive transfer of a nun, from one monastery of
the Order to another . Both Chapter Acts of the monasteries concerned
are to be sent together, recommended by the respective Ordinaries, besides
the personnal petition of the nun concerned.

2. The religious person coming from other Institutes

a) Petition of the person concerned.

b) Chapter Act of the hosting monastery, signed by the
Prioress and the Secretary.

c) Consent of the Superior General of the Institute of
origin (in which it is indicated the Diocese where the General House of
that Institute is located).

3. Petitions of exclaustration:

a) Petition of the person concerned ( or if the
exclaustration has to be imposed, petition of the Prioress), in which the
causes are specified.

b) A short "curriculum vitae" of the petitioner
nun, elaborated by the Prioress.

c) If the exclaustration is on grounds of health, the
medical certificate is to be sent. Bear always in mind the "Verbi
Sponsa", n° 17, 1-2.

4. Dispensation of the Solemn Vows:

a) Petition of the person concerned, which has to be on
grounds of "most grave" causes, and duly motivated.

b) A detailed "curriculum vitae" of the
concerned nun, elaborated by the Prioress,

c) Personnal opinion of the Prioress.

d) Opinion of the Council of the Community.

5. Dispensation of the Temporary Vows:

a) The petition of the person concerned is to be adressed
to the Fr. General, indicating the causes thereof.

b) Recomendation by the Prioress.

6. Foundations. When it is about a new foundation:

a) Petition of the Prioress of the founder monastery.

b) The Chapter Act of the monastery, in which it assummes
the responsability of the foundation, has to be signed by the Prioress and
the Secretary.

c) Authorisation of the Ordinary of the Place where it is
founded.

d) Licence of the Ordinary of the Place of the founder
monastery.

e) List of the nuns who are going to the foundation (whole
first and second names, dates of age and profession).